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The Gates / Castle of the Ledge
The Gates / Castle of the Ledge ''is the fourth extended play released by 404. It consists of only one song, "The Gates / Castle of the Ledge." The E.P. was a surprise release, being sandwiched between ''Campaign's promotional singles and the release of Campaign. It was released on December 16, 2018. A studio session of the song was released on The Studio Sessions E.P. on December 14, 2019. Background In August 2018, the first single from the 404 concept album Campaign ''was released. The album had been in the works since July 2017, and so the impression was given that the album would be released in the final quarter of 2018. A release date was even planned for the album, which was election day 2018 to coincide with the U.S. midterm elections. These plans fell apart as the album could not be completed in time and the work on the artwork fell through. For a while, 404 went silent, releasing no further teaser tracks from the album after having released two promotional singles already. In the fall 2018 semester of college, Louis took a songwriting course that required him to ultimately write and record a total of five songs. The final project in the class was to write a song in any style and write a process paper reflecting the techniques used in the song to demonstrate understanding of the terms and songwriting forms taught throughout the semester. There was no time limit on how long the song could be, so Louis decided to push himself and write the longest song he had ever written. After creating the song and being very proud of it, he decided to release it in this monotrack E.P. format. Recording and Production The entire song was composed, written, and recorded in only two days. The instrumental was created in one day, and the song was written and recorded the next. Alongside the typical instrumental setup for 404 songs that was used for ''Butchazarkagan ''and ''Math E.P., a midi bell sound (notably used previously in the song "Bitter Friends") was heavily used to accompany nearly every guitar note and more. These bells were used to provide a greater sense of melody and grounding to the guitar sound to make up for what Louis felt was lacking in the previous two releases. Music and Lyrical Themes "The Gates / Castle of the Ledge" differs from the experimental rock and noise rock influences of the previous two releases in quite a major way. The song is far more melodic, composed, and instrumentally dense than the vast majority of 404 songs. It is a progressive rock song written primarily in 3/4 (although it does feature a movement in 4/4 time), which is an atypical time signature for a 404 song. The song progressively shifts from various different melodies and themes, and the song is broken into two major subsections listed in the song's title: "The Gates" and "Castle of the Ledge." The tone of each section is quite different, with "The Gates" being more melodic and pretty, and "Castle of the Ledge" being darker and more visceral. The "Castle of the Ledge" section is more familiar territory for a 404 song post-''Vectors, with a segment featuring a rap verse with sinister vocals. The lyrics were greatly inspired by ''My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, and in fact practically reference it. This was because of a re-watch of early episodes of the show that Louis had done for a Get Recc'd ''episode earlier in the year. Besides that, by virtue of deciding to make a progressive rock song, the lyrics were also inspired by the fairy-tale lyrics of King Crimson and Genesis. Throughout each movement of the song, there is a new song form. Louis utilized multiple song forms taught in the songwriting course such as Verse-Chorus, Verse-Chorus-Bridge, and AAA form. In the process paper that he wrote for the final assignment, Louis labeled and described each section as follows: '''The Gates Pt. 1 (0:00 - 1:16):' This bit isn’t really written in any particular song form, it’s just an intro containing a spoken-word verse. The Gates Pt. 2 (1:16 - 3:13): This section of the song is written in Verse-Chorus form, with two verses and two choruses. The Gates Pt. 3 (3:13 - 5:07): It’s got a slow build and variety of instrumentation reminiscent of post-rock. There are no lyrics in this section, it just builds into part 4. The Gates Pt. 4 (5:08 - 6:48): I wrote this song section in AAA form. It has three verses and a refrain ending each (“And now I’m on the falling out / The gates are open now”). I also kept each verse in the same rhythmic structure, or at least very close. Each corresponding sentence in each verse is very similar. The Gates Pt. 5 (6:48 - 8:00): This section is very similar to part 1, but it’s got a guitar solo over it. There are no lyrics here. Castle of the Ledge Pt. 1 (8:00 - 9:38): I wrote this section in Verse-Chorus-Bridge form. It contains four verses and choruses, and a bridge separating chorus 3 and verse 4. Each chorus is brief and features a different lyric each time. Castle of the Ledge Pt. 2 (9:38 - 11:19): This section is the only one in the entire track to be written in 4/4 time. This section of the song is closer to my usual work than other sections because of its creepy and slightly humorous tone. I wrote this section in Verse-Chorus form again, with only one verse and one chorus. The verse is actually a hip-hop verse, and it contains the quirkiest lyrics of the song. Castle of the Ledge Pt. 3 (11:19 - 12:13): This is a dissonant and eerie solo section, over the same bassline from part 1. It finishes with the instrumental chorus from part 1, and then transitions back into The Gates. There are no lyrics in this section. The Gates Pt. 6 (12:13 - 14:49): To round out the song, I chose to reprise The Gates Pt. 2. There is one final verse and chorus. The chorus interpolates a melody from part 4 and ends with a climatic solo over the chorus instrumental. Given Louis' mental health decline in 2018 from a variety of circumstances that was also the subject of Math E.P.'s lyrics, The Gates / Castle of the Ledge ''features themes that metaphorically reflect personal topics. Regret/guilt and failing friendships are the main themes of the song. The song opens with a sort of prologue that details two people traveling a great distance on a bitter path. It is set up from the start that all is not well between the two people, and that their journey will end in failure: "To fail to split the wind." This lyric is notable because the lyrics refer to flying away as a kind of emotional escape from the feeling of dread that accompanies decaying friendships. In the opening segment of the song, it's already revealed that this flight will not be successful. In the chorus of "The Gates" section of the song, there is a choice laid out that can never end in a good result. This is a reflection of Louis' great anxiety that it didn't matter what he would do, it would end negatively for him and everyone else. At the end of the chorus, the protagonist acknowledges their lack of presence in the relationship, but that one day soon they will "fly away," again relating to an emotional escape, one that they will partake in together. It is notable that the chorus ends in hope, because that hope is later crushed by the end of the song. A refrain during one of the song's movements reflects the mental torment that has followed as a result of current actions: "And now I'm on the falling out / The gates are open now." The gates are here used as a metaphor for a mental state that Louis never thought he'd find himself in and yet was teetering on for years (songs about Louis' mental health are scattered throughout many 404 albums, notably ''The Great Unknown, but not until 2018 had he truly experienced depression). The story that is told in the "Castle of the Ledge" section of the song is a series of metaphors related to the same topic. After telling the story of the castle's evil queen who eventually caused a war, Louis says "All are candidates, you can see the chance / Build your own castles up on the cliff-side ledge." After spending a long time feeling like a truly bad person, he reflects on the ability within all of us to do wrong. This is really the meaning of telling the story in this section. From here on out in the song, the castle is used as a metaphor for a reminder of past or current actions that causes guilt. "You'd best watch yourself / The castle will swallow you whole." In the final section of the song, a reprise of "The Gates," everything ends up coming together lyrically. The aforementioned castle ties directly to the narrative in the beginning of the song of two people traversing a dismal path: "You and I together thought we knew the way / Walking to the path they told us to obey / Takes us to the castle up upon the ledge / And slowly leads us closer to our deaths." The broken friendship continues onward in the same way it should, and yet there is a realization that it is slowly leading to the ultimate conclusion that things will have to fall apart. The final few lines take on a more directly personal and defeated tone to the rest of the song: "I see I spent my life just wasting time / I wanna go, I do not care / You know I've been a hamper on your life / I'll take my wings, I'll hit the air / And fly away." The section is a sort of apology and another clear depiction of guilt, and ends with the suggestion that both people would be better off if the song's protagonist left them entirely. This contrasts against the hopeful ending of The Gates' main chorus that was noted earlier. Whereas "flying away" in that context meant the ability to transcend their falling out, the final mention of flying instead means the dissolution of their friendship. Album Art In December 2018, Louis was on vacation to Orlando, Florida. The photo on the cover art was taken out of a bus window. Louis chose the photograph because he felt it visually represented the song, in showing a journey with storm clouds that reveal a great sadness. Alternate Versions A "Studio Session" version of the song was studio recorded/produced with real instruments between August and December of 2019 and was released on The Studio Sessions E.P. ''on December 14, 2019. A 5:31 version of the song was released on ''The Third Mistakes Album. The song was edited down for radio play. This version, entitled "The Gates (Radio Edit)," completely removes the "Castle of the Ledge" section of the song, and shortens "The Gates" section as well. Track Listing Lyrics They walk a silent path Staring at the dirt and ash That cracks beneath their feet They wipe their brow and grit their teeth Holding on to empty hope Bitterness and rock and roll Childish in nature They turn the wood to paper And open up the sky To find the satellite To fail to split the wind They are ready to begin I found the relic down out here I found the other way around out here It's on the bends you take to get to the den And you follow out your broken soul to the end The answer that I need is only a way And all the opportunity, I forget But hey, you never did believe in me then So I am on my own to fall out again The elders sit around the gates They say the road is open still You say whatever option that I take Is gonna bend, is gonna kill You see, I might've made a few mistakes I know the road is on the will And you dim the light while I'm away But one day we will take our wings And fly away And now our trinity is broken up in little thirds I fill my basket up with phoenix feather dirt On the knocking down, they took us to the room And we are not mistaken, we are who they want Well, I could say that this what I do deserve But I would never find the meaning or the words To describe to you what I really mean to say My confidence has led us both astray The elders sit around the gates They say the road is open still You say whatever option that I take Is gonna bend, is gonna kill You see, I might've made a few mistakes I know the road is on the will And you dim the light while I'm away But one day we will take our wings And fly away Before you let them take you away You tell them you're done, you tell them you're saved 'Cause I had never heard advice to believe And I was so wrong, and I was naive And I was selected to dig up the diamonds And burn up the islands and watch all the violence And now I'm on the falling out The gates are open now Before you get to open the wound You close it back up, you save it for two 'Cause I was only waiting all afternoon And I was alone, and you were my tool And I was selected to hide all the evidence Bury the residents, swim with the fishes And now I'm on the falling out The gates are open now Okay, you're laughing before your time is up But you're serious, you're hearing us 'Cause I could not stop the noise And I was caught, and I was poised And you were selected to handle the guns And protect what I'd done, and hide from the sun And now I'm on the falling out The gates are open now Out from the forest Nearby the gutter There lies a castle Yours to discover History made And cut from the blade Of regals long dead And fiction begets An evil queen Crossing the aisle Searching the files You will have known The myths of the old Ten centuries Would you believe? Tore it apart On personal griefs War followed Don't go alone You never know Spirit is there Carried by air Gets into you Sends body through Memory dead Fall off the edge Oh god! They fought! Deep down to the depth of it That throne where she used to sit Don't take any glance at it It's bloodshed, it's not romantic Long time since it happened, though You're just like as capable To fall to personal debts And create another ancient myth Lie to your sisters Lie to your brothers Lie to your mothers Lie to your fathers All are candidates You can see the chance Build your own castles Up on the Cliff-side ledge When you walk to the open arch Enter the room from the castle doors The stone and the concrete collapsing in Is the place where you check for a night a spend Enter the hallways, any one of them Watch where you step, it's an open dungeon Prisoners slept and walked Before the late-time battle rocked Step to the right, find the famous preserved library, then You can find your way to the underground diamond den And if you stop the check the time You'll notice that you're getting old You'd best watch yourself The castle will swallow you whole There's a castle in you Castle in you And it is rotten and still Broken to begin with Castle in you Castle in you And it is rotten and still Broken to be in it Yeah! There's a castle inside of you And everything I ever thought I knew Was locked inside the aura of truth And they would have an interest keeping it obscured It was a lie the prophets told the herd You and I together thought we knew the way Walking to the path they told us to obey Takes us to the castle up upon the ledge And slowly leads us closer to our deaths The elders sit around the gates They say the road is open still You say whatever option that I take Is gonna bend, is gonna kill You see, I might've made a few mistakes I know the road is on the will And you dim the light while I'm away But one day we will take our wings (and fly away) The castle stands there to remind They say the road, it leads you there But the elders on the other side Will say you'll never be prepared I see I spent my life just wasting time I wanna go, I do not care You know I've been a hamper on your life I'll take my wings, I'll hit the air And fly away I'll fly away I'll fly away Fly away Personnel Louis Falgout - Vocals, production, writer Category:Albums Category:Extended plays Category:Songs